The Opposite Kind of Attraction
by sup3rgirl
Summary: An unexpected twist in events brings us together. He's utterly electrifying. I tend to go with the flow. Oops! I think I've fallen for him. But wait, did he say "GYM LEADER!" My new life in Sinnoh may be a blessing after all. EDITED
1. June 23

**Note**: I've changed it somewhat, but nothing important was taken out.

NOTE FROM SUP3RGIRL {_Hello reader! If you've stumbled across this page, perhaps my title caught your eye, or maybe my brief summary (despite it's vague-ness). Anyways, thank you for clicking. And please enjoy this first chapter. You will notice (eventually maybe...) that this is written in a journal-sort-of format, and everything is from one person's POV._}

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

June 23. {prologue}But My Home is in Hoenn!

[6:42 am]

So far, I've been on this ocean route for almost 2 hours, and nothing exciting has happened thus far. Just, an endless plain of...sea. This route is taking way too long to Surf through.

Now… introductions are in order, yes? My name is Talullah Marie Pardee, try saying that fast several times. I reach about 5"6 in height with a normal body weight of 130 pounds; I love my food and don't plan on missing out on it, thank you. I can proudly say that I maintain a nice, year-round tan thanks to my work trips and training. My pale blonde hair reaches just below my shoulders and my bangs are side swept to the right. My eyes are green, its shade resembling the colour of celery. I think I first got into Pokemon due to my parent's influence: Mum was once a world-class Coordinator, and my father is a water Pokemon enthusiast.

As for me, I've been working with Juan, the water-type gym leader in Sootopolis for the last few years and have tagged along with countless researchers to further my studies. I have worked hard enough to land me a position as the assistant caretaker of the Lilycove Aquatic Center, which is the main reason to why I'm going back home now. Not too bad for a 17 year old, don't you think?

Now, Mum's retired from Contests and father's whereabouts are unknown (or so my mother informs me). Also, since Mum is now a business partner in several of the Coordinator and Trainer products, I often got the pleasure of appearing on ad campaigns. Don't take me for just a spoiled brat though, when it comes down to it, I do my share of work and _more_. However, despite all the fun and luxury, the truth is, I've only seen Mum 3 times in last 2 years and Father has been absent since my 1st birthday. Holidays were usually celebrated with my friends and family presents were exchanged by mail. I often wondered what I wouldn't trade for a normal life with Mum and Father together.

In my lap was an issue of "Coast to Coast" the water Pokemon magazine. I was flipped to a page concerning the opening of a new Conservatory in Sinnoh. My eye was caught on small thumbnail of the commissioners. He stood near the front, basking in the glory of his good looks. I'll have to remember to tear it out later. See there? Blonde hair, blue eyes (atleast that's what it looks like) and a unique style; sweet. I skimmed through the article looking for a name.

"Damn, it's too hard to read." Disappointed, I closed my eyes to enjoy the soft spray of seawater as Lapras smoothly cut through waves. If I squinted hard, I could just see the sloping shores of Lilycove.

"We're almost there!" I urged Lapras to pick up from cruising speed, my heart pounded with excitement.

After almost half an hour later, I jumped off of Lapras' back and returned her to her Pokeball for some well-deserved rest, promising to treat her as soon as we get settled. Wallowing in the clear shallows, I could clearly see my hot pink toenails and wiggled them deeper into the wet sand; strange, but I really do love that squishy feeling between my toes. The breaking waves pushed me towards dry land and tried to pull me back through the undertow as the wet spray soaked the bottom of my light blue shorts.

"Man! I'M STARVED!" I shouted into the wind, holding onto my grumbling tummy as I trudged up the beach. "I hope Chef Boudoir remembers that I'm semi-vegetarian and my preference for fluffy pancakes and syrup". Now I'm getting hungry.

After the long walk from beach to home, I waited outside the huge gate, and made faces into the security camera. My quick fingers pressed the buzzer in rapid succession, letting the ring echo in the still morning air and soon, one of mother's jumpsuit wearing protégées jogged towards the gate. With a grimace, I noted that the poor guy tripped over his own feet while adjusting the ensemble.

Moments later, we (and by that I mean me) sauntered through the front doors and dropped my bag with a solid 'thunk' on the polished wooden floor. A chorus of welcomes greeted me and I happily returned the formality. I also took a mental note of who was 'fresh meat' and who was an old timer; it's always a good idea to take notice of the newbies and warn them of the impending stress ahead (AKA, me). The same black and white leather furniture and indescribable modern art adorned the foyer and the same huge cream and white rug sprawled through the center of the room. Happily, I breathed in the smell of fresh lilacs and honey with an undertone of wax; nothing had changed in the last few years.

Soon, I heard heels clacking upstairs which was soon followed by Mum's low melodic voice. "There you are, honey! Come, come!" She beckoned towards me and glided down the stairs with an inviting smile.

I had a split second glance of her before being enveloped in a tight embrace. The long unused scent of sweet pea and amber dissipated throughout the foyer. I distantly remembered that Mum mixes that essential oil fragrance uniquely for personal use and it always gives me such a nostalgic feeling. In what seemed like forever, Mum let go of me and looked me over with appraising eyes. An eyebrow went up for my lack of shoes, but she hadn't commented…just then.

"Come little Princess, we'll eat first and catch up. You must be simply starved!" I think I blushed back there; no one's called me that nickname for _forever_.

She pulled me towards the patio, where I saw with delight, an arrangement of plates and covers. The large glass table was set for two with pure white porcelain, polished silver cutlery and large crystal goblets. Shooing her assistants inside, Mum poured fresh Miltank milk into the goblets and lifted the plate covers to reveal the results of Chef Boudoir's labour. Mini vegetable frittatas, an assortment of fine cheeses, a bowl of fresh cut fruit, freshly baked breakfast rolls, hash browns, Mum's favoured malted waffles and my favourite pancakes, as well as accompanying condiments adorned the table. Chef went all out today, and I couldn't have been happier as I forklifted a stack of thick pancakes onto my plate and soaked them thoroughly with syrup. Some people think it's gross, but I have a penchant for (sickly) sweet things.

On the occasion that I came up to breathe while attacking my food, I couldn't help but stare at Mum as she filled me in on the new project that she's been working on. Something about a new PokeGear application, maybe. Admittedly, I was analysing her appearance instead of listening properly; her long dark hair cascaded down her back and framed her ivory face instead of compacting itself into a tight chignon, and her usual strict business suits were replaced with curve hugging jeans and a long sleeved white V-neck shirt. Through her thick hair, I noticed diamonds winking on her earlobes and a silver necklace that I sent to her last Christmas.

Weird, she used to always wear a formal suit. But she still looks good.

Mum noticed me staring and smiled that understanding motherly smile. "It was time for a change, don't you think?" I nodded fervently, and poured milk down my throat to clear away the sweetness.

"I think you look a lot better in that than in those boring grey suits, Mum." I informed her. "It suits you much better." She beamed at me, as if she hadn't heard such compliments before. Mum daintily wiped her lips and dropped the cloth on top of her plate. "If you would like, we can go to the boutiques for some new clothes,"- here she indicated my old shorts and well worn t-shirt, not to mention my lack of shoes - "Or visit the Safari, I know how you love that place."

I hesitated to reply, it was still too early for any of the stores or the Safari to be open, and I was still tired from the early morning surf. Instead I suggested going to the pool and letting my Pokemon rest. She looked taken back, but soon recovered to grant me permission and motioned for one of the protégés to bring me to the pool. As I left with Sergio, her personal assistant, I caught a glimpse of anxiety on my mother's face.

"Hey, Sergio" I questioned him, "what's happened to Mum? She used to be all business and so, so uptight." I had no idea what I had just wrought upon myself with that one innocent question.

He hesitated before answering curtly, "since it's you, Miss Talullah, I don't think Ms. Pardee would mind me clarifying. I mean – " he coughed "- I'm sure this matter was cleared during breakfast."

Now near the sea-water pool, I let out my other Pokemon to stretch and swim. One by one, they appeared in flashes of red light. Sergio noticed the new additions to my team, politely commending my efforts to raise them well. Although vast majority of my team consisted of water types I occasionally keep normal or mixed type Pokemon as well.

My Kingdra whom I caught as a Horsea during a trip to Kanto swam majestically through the water. Beside Lapras, Starmie's red jewel sparkled brightly as it floated lazily on the water, allowing my mischievous Vaporeon to push it around the pool. Felix, my spoiled Persian lounged lazily on dry land, basking in the warmth of the rising sun. Juan's parting present, a rare purple Clamperl that he nicknamed Vive propelled itself across the pool with Watergun. Shifting my gaze towards my Pokemon, I masked my confusion. Nothing was brought up…that I could remember anyways. However, I did not stop him, my curiosity was overwhelming as I dug myself deeper and deeper into the inevitable.

Not noticing my ignorance, Sergio continued in his well trained manner. "Just a few days ago, Ms. Pardee – your mother, received a letter from your father in Sinnoh." I cocked an eyebrow, carefully concealing my surprise. "Apparently there was some debate over your well being and since then, she has been continuously on edge. I believe the change in appearance and manner is the result of that letter."

He frowned suspiciously. "I'm sure you've gone over this matter, yes?"

"Thank you Sergio, if you would please set out some food for my Pokemon, I think Mother's waiting for me." I nodded believably and stiffly walked out of the room, hoping to find the truth. My head felt like a blank slate, hoping that the small portion of me that doubted Mum was wrong. Dead wrong.

I found her sitting primly on a white leather couch in the library. She was reading as I walked in, though I can see that her eyes weren't moving though she stared intently at the page.

"Hello dear," she snapped the book shut, and pushed herself off of the couch. "What shall we do today? Have you decided yet?"

I smiled casually. "Oh, but I'm so tired and I haven't had a proper sleep. How about we go out tomorrow?" She blanched and her mouth formed a perfect "O". Regaining composure, Mum tried again. "But today's perfect outside, tomorrow's going to be raining and I only have a few days home before I have to work again."

"Good point." I stretched and flopped lazily on the couch beside her. "But I really just feel like sleeping now." She twitched and breathed in quick, uneasy breaths. "But really dear, I mean, we should go early if we want to catch the good sales at the Lilycove Department Store. Oh, and your favourite store has a new collection."

I stared at her, astounded. When has she ever cared about sales or shopping mobs? I remember that she once blocked the entire Department Store so that she can shop freely without disruption. "Oh really." I started to feel suspicion settle into my conscience but nonetheless, agreed.

Soon, we climbed into her black luxury sedan, and I prepared myself for a long car ride to downtown Lilycove. Mum insisted that I borrow a pair of her shoes until I get my own. They were a size too small for me and pinched my toes viciously. I slide out of them and prepared myself for the worst.

"So, Mum. Um… have you heard from Father lately?" I pretended to be absorbed in the floor mat, and crossed my legs. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and cleared her throat noisily. Mum exuded an air of nervousness, which made me extremely guilty, but my curiosity and suspicion overrode that emotion quickly.

"Are you sure?" I inspected my fingernails and chewed a hangnail.

"Yes, ofcourse!" She snapped, though her voice cracked and she slapped my hand away from my sharp teeth. I recoiled a little at her aggressive action. Instead of quieting me down, I grew angry, knowing that she was definitely hiding something.

I fixed her with a cold stare. "Sergio would never lie. You received a letter –"

She looked horrified. "My own assistant!"

"Yes! Exactly when were you planning on telling me?" I exclaimed angrily. "If it was news from Father, you should've told me during breakfast!"

"Little Princess – "

"DON'T! – I don't care if you and dad had a bad fall out. But I'm the daughter! It's my right to know! Did he say something about me?" My cheeks were flushed with anger, my voice was hoarse with choked tears. The look on her face told me all I need.

"It was about me, wasn't it?" I asked in an accusing tone. She nodded, her hand covering her eyes. "What did he say?"

She shook her head silently, though her lips were trembling and tears were leaking through her fingers. They dripped onto her jeans, making dark spots on her knee.

I clenched my hand, though my heart softened at the sight of my mother in such distress. "What did he say?" I repeated again, more firmly this time. I could feel a burning in my throat and eyes, tears threatened to break loose at any moment. My heart felt cold, my curiosity was overwhelming. What on _Earth_ was in that letter?

"Your father – " She buried her head on my shoulders, I can feel the wetness trickle through my shirt, but paid no attention. I nodded to show that I was listening and absent-mindedly patted her back.

"He wants you in Sinnoh - tomorrow!"

She reached into her jeans pocket and shoved a piece of paper at me. I took the heavy paper carefully, and smoothed out the lines and wrinkles. I saw tear stains dotting the paper and multiple rips along its length, hastily patched up with clear tape.

_"Greetings Serena,_

_It's been a long time since we have last made contact with one another, and I do remember our promise to cut off all communication. However, our daughter is already 17." _

I took a deep breath. This was definitely my father writing this. My chest felt tight as I kept reading.

_"You do know what this means, don't you Serena? On the child's 16th birthday, she was to come to Sinnoh to live with me in the Pastoria Gym. You ignored my letter last year concerning the same matter, and I overlooked it, seeing as how Talullah was training with Juan. It is time for her to spend time in Sinnoh, under my care and supervision. Rest assured that she will be welcomed here, and her position of Assistant Director will be transferred to the Valor Lake Pokemon Conservatory as well as a position of caretaker in my Gym. I will send my trusted student to Hoenn on the 24th of June to pick up my daughter. Please inform her of this and have her ready to leave as soon as possible."_

I reread it, once, twice. There was no signature, no name of recognition. Still, I held onto it, and traced over the blocky letters as if I can channel myself into my Father's scripture. I'm going to Sinnoh? But Hoenn is my home, it always has been!

My head felt like it was about to burst from the plethora of emotions running through my head. I sat there numbly as my mother called to me.

In just six words, my life had changed. Forever.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, that's it. I apologize for the prolonged prologue. I wanted everybody to get a sense of who Talullah is and where her background lies. Now that you've read it, how about some feedback? Am I still too "wordy" and not to the point?


	2. June 23 pt2

June 23 (pt2): Jacob

It's almost 10 o'clock (pm) now, and I'm still not too sure what to think. I feel like I've been on autopilot all day, and am unable to describe my feelings. The duffle bag and suitcase that I got earlier today was neglected in the midst of my disarray of clothing and gear. I feel hesitant to pack it because I know that it means I'll really be moving… again.

I heard a knock at the door followed by a purr. "Princess, can I come in?"

"Yeah, it's open. Go ahead!" Did my voice sound as hollow to her as it did to me?

A Persian strode through my room, allowing me to pat it politely. It's my mother's Persian, prized for its beauty and unparalleled performance in Contests. I let out my own Persian to greet her while Mum walks in with a tray of hot chocolate and little square shaped cookies. She settles them on my desk and leans over to hug me.

"How're you feeling?" She asks. I replied that I honestly don't know for sure, and that it's been an overwhelming day. Mum hummed her sympathy, and cupped my warm face in her cool hands. "Honey, I know it's going to be strange living in Sinnoh at first. All your friends are here, and so am I; so you will feel lonely. But don't forget that Father is there for you. We're both here for our little Princess." I nodded and she continued. "You must be excited, no? You get to meet your father again. We'll makeup for our lost time later in the year when you're settled."

Just like that she summed up all my feelings. Tears spilled down my cheeks, and my nose ran. It's probably quite a site to behold, but my mother simply hugged me tight, and ran her fingers through my hair as if I were a child. When she let me go, I was still sniffling, but saw that tears glistened on her cheeks as well. I couldn't help it. I giggled. Mum giggled with me, and suddenly, we were like little girls, sharing a mutual feeling in our hearts and on our faces.

"Here you go," I handed her a wad of tissues before proceeding to wipe my own face. We blew and hiccupped and swiped at our teary eyes.

"Oh no, Mum, I'm so sorry." I pointed to her pricey cardigan, which was unfortunately ruined with my tears and mucus. She laughed and unbuttoned her sweater before tossing it into an unoccupied corner.

I looked at the clock. 10:53. Mum stood up and pulled her hair into a knot. "Let's get you packed shall we? I don't think that the boy coming tomorrow will be too pleased if he had to help you pack as well."

I laughed and wickedly suggested that he should get used to the experience. Mum flicked a sock at me, warning me to behave. I stuck my tongue out and threw a shirt at her. Before we knew it, clothes were flying everywhere. Our Persians were too dignified allow such a childish sport and pinned us down. Giving in, I stood up with my arms held up in surrender. My mother emerged from behind the bed in a similar motion. We grinned at each other in mutual understanding.

"Hey, look Mum." I pointed at the clock. "It's 11:11. Let's make a wish!" I closed my eyes and kissed the crescent at the base of my thumbnail to seal the wish.

We spent the rest of the night packing and repacking my bag. We had a slight difference in opinions on the practicality of miniskirts and my massive collection of tourist t-shirts. I won't begin to describe her reaction to the tiny silver stud on the tragus of my right ear.

After that argument, I think we fell asleep together, collapsed on the bed after most of my things were shoved in my bags.

I woke up to the sound of my Persian's loud purr. As I rubbed my eyes, she fixed me with a beady stare and went right back to sleep. Grumbling, I felt my to the first bathroom that I saw. As I turned the shower on, I dragged my toothbrush slowly across my molars; anxiety was creeping up on me and it wasn't a good feeling. When the water was hot enough, I stepped into the spray and reached for a black bottle of shampoo. A good 20 minutes later, I stepped out of the shower and dried off. The mirror was fogged up so I rubbed at it.

"I probably have huge bags under my eyes," I grumbled vainly. "Way to make a good first impression." I stuck my tongue out at my reflection. Something was off. My eyes? A little dull, but not the main problem. My face was clear enough. I looked closer. Hold on.

"OH…C R A P!" I screeched and held my hair for a closer inspection. No mistake about it. My normally light blonde hair was dyed black; not just a nice black, NO. But in splotches like a toddler's painting.

"AHH!" I tore out of the bathroom and ran through the hall, and down the stairs to the breakfast patio. "MOM!" I hollered.

"What's wrong – " She sat at the table, sipping a cup of coffee. The cup slipped out of her fingers and spilt onto the table, staining the pristine cloth. "What on Earth – "

"My hair, it's… it's like a…a.." I was lost for words, and just pointed to my head as if it grew an extra limb.

"Oh, Princess, what did you do?" She tried not to chuckle. I held up the culprit, and she took it to examine. "Did you not read the label Talullah?" I grabbed the bottle and glared down at the tiny font. _'Super Fast Permanent Hair Dye'_. My eyes twitched uncontrollably. "_Super_?"

"Um… Ms. Pardee, if you don't mind, I'll just take my leave." A young man stood up stiffly from the other side of the table. Wait when did he get here? I'm still wearing my towel for goodness sakes! "I'll just grab her luggage and bring it down to the pier. The ferry will leave in exactly 50 minutes." Blushing crimson, he gave us a polite bow and strode quickly out of the room.

"Who is he? Why is he here?" I demanded, still clutching my towel for dear life. Mum hugged my shoulders and tried her hardest not to laugh.

"He's the one that your father sent to pick you up dear. Good first impression." She steered me towards my room and turned around to let me change privately.

"It wasn't my fault!" I pulled on a set of dark blue and lime green undergarments. "How was I to know that he was going to come into the house?!"

"No one expected you to come running down half naked either." She replied dryly. "What are we going to do about that hair?" Rummaging through the clothes that I left behind, I pulled out a dark grey halter to layer with a light green off-the-shoulder t-shirt. A white pair of cut-off jean shorts followed. A white write band with a green star went on my right wrist and the inverse went on my left. Lastly, I shoved my feet into a favourite pair of multicoloured high-top shoes.

"Can't I dye it back?" I was close to whining.

She hummed and took my hair in her hands. "It's too late to change it honey, you'll have to hide it until you can get to Sinnoh to reverse this… ah… predicament." She left for a moment and returned with a dark blue pageboy cap. "I know it doesn't match honey, and this is from one of my protégés, but it'll cover your hair." Mum twisted my hair into a knot and pinned up the stray locks with clips.

"Thank you." I sighed and fixed the cap at an angle. On the car ride to the pier, I pelted Mum with questions about Sinnoh and my father. She answered what she could; though all I got out of her was that father was extremely boisterous.

"Before I forget Tallulah, here's something for you." She gave me a rather small light blue canvas one-shoulder backpack. "You can open that later on the boat. We're here!"

We stepped out into the morning sun, and I slid on a pair of shades to ward off the light. Actually it was to partially hide my face when I meet my escort again, but I wont tell. A large ship was docked at the end of the harbour, and I could see a few passengers hanging out on deck and saying goodbye to their loved ones.

"Well Princess, you know how I hate saying goodbyes." My mom said wistfully as we approached Father's messenger. I hugged her, completely agreeing with her.

"It's not like we won't see each other again, although it was such a short time," I told her, "I'll write often, and call and everything."

She beamed at me, and let me go. "Have a good time dear, don't let those boys push you around!" I chuckled and waved one last goodbye as she slid back into her car.

I turned and inspected my escort. He's more than a head taller than me, and I had to tilt my head to look at his face. I took in his warm hazel eyes, and surprisingly well-chiselled features, along with a shy, loping smile. I noticed that he wouldn't look at me, and I remembered that he saw me in a towel so there wasn't much left to the imagination. Nice first impression after all.

He coughed politely. "Shall we get onboard then? My name is Jacob, and I'll be your escort for the journey." He walked towards the boat and I followed. Oh, it'll be a nice journey, no doubt.

"I'm Tallulah," I chirped happily and walked by his side. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine," he said gallantly and allowed me to walk first onto the boarding plank while he carried my heavy bags like it was nothing. I'm assuming that we're just going to forget this morning's little…meeting and start afresh. Good for me, I hate bad first impressions.

"It will be 3 and a half days until we arrive in Sinnoh. This ship will take us straight to Pastoria City." He handed me my room key and dropped off my stuff. "Feel free to call me, I will be in room 103, the next one over." With that, he left and shut the door gently.

"What a polite guy," I muttered to myself and checked out my quarters for the next few days. It's a modest room, with all the standard hotel-like furniture, although the bed looks large enough for two or three people to squeeze into. A door led to the adjoining bathroom, which was stocked with white towels and mini soaps.

I slumped onto a large, but stiff looking chair and opened the bag that Mum gave me earlier today. The contents spilled onto my lap and I looked through them with the excitement of a little girl. The first thing I saw was the prototype Pokegear that Mum was developing. Small and lightweight, it was the size of my palm and no doubt jam packed with new features. I couldn't wait to try it out. The next thing I picked up was a box of hair dye. I laughed to myself as I set it to the side to use for later. A small packet of cookies which I'll share with Jacob later. A tube of Chapstick, a small vial of Mum's specialty essential oil mix, a pack of clips, and a plastic bag of Pokemon treats. A mother knows best, I suppose. I sorted through the rest of the piles and found a note from Mum.

"There is also a small black box. Open it and please wear it with care, and know that I'll always be with you."

I read out it loud and held up the box in question. The box opened to reveal a silver ring with designs engraved on the inside and a small emerald embedded on the outside. With a grin, I kissed the ring and slid it onto my forefinger. The rest of the goodies will have to wait though, I hear a sweet melody coming from the outside and no doubt, someone's Pokemon is Singing. Now, all I want is a quick nap…

Three hours later, I found that my neck was bent at a rather strange angle when I slept, so now it's somewhat stuck there. "Just great, the girl with spotted hair also has a deformed neck." I grumbled and reached for the box of hair dye. "Let's give this a try."

After almost half an hour of strange fumes and stains, I stepped out of the bathroom, rubbing a towel into my properly dyed black hair. Hold on a sec, something was out of place in my room…

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" I screeched, seeing Jacob knelt before the couch, picking up my belongings. "WH – "

He scrambled up from the couch and stood at attention. "I…I was just…checking up on you." I glared at him, daring him to think up a better excuse. "No really," he said earnestly and deposited my things onto the bed. "I knocked many times on the door, but you didn't answer so I thought that you were in trouble. It is my responsibility if anything were to happen to you."

I looked at the door, it was pretty much busted, and the lock hung loosely off the wood. "You busted my door." I accused, "how am I supposed to sleep or change in here? And _how_ can I be in dire trouble in my own room?" I was also mentally kicking myself for not realizing that my door was being kicked down. However, I satisfied my ignorance by glaring at him. He blushed fiercely, obviously he didn't think before kicking down the door. I hope Management is okay with this.

"Well, you can sleep in my room…" I flared up at the thought and he balked. "I mean, I'll sleep here and you can sleep in my room, we can bring your things over there right now if you please." I'm not sure I approve of having his things stowed with mine, but I've made up my mind about one thing. This guy is such a perv!

After the move, we went down for lunch and lounged (though not together!) on the deck, soaking up the sun. I allowed my Vaporeon out to enjoy the sun with me, especially since I noticed that Jacob was keeping such a close watch. At night, he obediently gave me his secure room, and I graciously gave him mine, which was temporarily secured with a pad lock and chain. Despite our misunderstanding, Jacob proved to be an amiable companion. Although he will probably never regain my full trust, I found him to be an excellent storyteller and learned much about Pastoria City.

The 3 days passed quickly and on the last half day, I was nervous beyond belief. Since I made such a bad impression in front of Jacob, I had to make up for it in Sinnoh. This is a make or break deal! After a quick shower, I applied a thin layer of mascara and brushed my straight black hair carefully. My clothes were already spread out on the bed, and I stepped out…to find Jacob, shirtless and changing into a black t-shirt.

"HOLY S–" I slammed the door shut and grabbed my towel tighter. Why does it always end up like this?

From the other side, I heard Jacob shout; "I thought there was enough time for me to change too! Sorry, I'll be out in a second!"

I heard the door slam shut and the lock being set before I ventured out again. My face was burning with embarrassment and I hastily pulled on some clothes, forgetting all about making a good impression. I found him in leaning on the side of the boat, rocking forward precariously. As I approached, Jacob pointed to the little point of land that was barely visible.

"That's Sinnoh, your new home." I forgot my anger and looked where he was pointing to: it was no more than a small blip of land. Unimpressive.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Jacob tapped my shoulder once more. "Hey, Ms. Tallulah – " I glanced up at him, unable to meet his eyes. "Um… I think it would be beneficial to both of us if we…keep quiet about the…uh…"

I caught on soon enough. "You mean if we don't tell anyone about the 'incidences'?" I asked, blushing.

He nodded confirmation and continued; "I think we could get along fine if it weren't for that don't you think?"

I grinned, thinking exactly the same thing.

"If we could just start things again…my name is Jacob, student at the Pastoria Gym." He held out his large hand and we exchanged a firm handshake. "I am Tallulah – just Tallulah, pleased to meet you."

The ferry horn blasted obnoxiously, signalling our arrival. We felt the waves swell beneath us as we hit the loading docks and suddenly, the prospect of living in such an unfamiliar city wasn't so intimidating. I think I'll be all right. Maybe.

* * *

**A/N:** YAYY!! EXAMS ARE DONE. I HAVEN'T TOUCHED THIS COMPUTER IN OVER A WEEK. I AM A HAPPY HAPPY GIRL. happy chinese new year as well : ) yippeee. I am sorry for the long delay in updating, but atleast it's out now. whooohoo. i hope this chapter's okay. i hope you all enjoyed this chapter, actually :P.

tell me what you think : ) i have a tendency to make things drag...X)


End file.
